Local Assistance

Project Contact

Planning at the local government level can require large investments of staff time and financial resources, and smaller communities with limited resources often require assistance from Forward Pinellas.

Our staff provides several different types of local assistance. We are always available to provide routine technical help to local government staff members who have questions about, or need help navigating their way through, the countywide land use and transportation planning process. We track state and federal legislation that affects local comprehensive planning and land development regulation. We host educational workshops and planning discussion forums, and our staff is available to make presentations at local government meetings and workshops upon request.

We provide hands-on technical assistance to local governments in need of maps, property data and other geographic information. Nine jurisdictions have agreements with Forward Pinellas to maintain their official zoning maps. General mapping assistance is available to all 25 local governments upon request.

We also offer assistance with major planning projects on a contractual basis. Past projects have included assistance with comprehensive plan updates, special area plans, parking and annexation studies, and grant writing.

In addition, in collaboration with our County and municipal partners, we offer the Truth in Annexation worksheet, which helps unincorporated county residents estimate how their annual taxes and fees would change if they were to annex into a municipality. Local governments can also use this resource to compare their taxes and fees with other jurisdictions.